One For The Road
by FallenAngel218
Summary: A terrible accident may change the lives of the MCRT forever. Written for the NFA "King Me" challenge.
1. Chapter 1

_Summary: A terrible accident may change the lives of the MCRT forever._

Categories: Angst

Notes: Written for the NFA "King Me" Challenge. Title comes from the Stephen King short story of the same name. The plot bears no resemblance to the original story.

Characters: The Team

**Chapter One**

The ER was bustling with activity when Gibbs rushed in, bringing the cold DC air with him. He immediately went up to the Security desk upon arrival. The guard's name tag read _Manny_.

"My Agents were brought in not too long ago," he said, showing his badge. "There was a car accident."

"What are their names?"

"Tony DiNozzo, Tim McGee and Ziva David," Gibbs said quickly. He impatiently tapped his foot while Manny searched his computer.

"Ah, here we are. I can send you back to see Mr. DiNozzo. He's being treated in Room 11 right now, back in the ER."

"And the others?" Gibbs asked, his gut twisting around in knots.

"Perhaps I should get a nurse to accompany you. She'll be able to bring you to your agents."

"Thank you very much," Gibbs said, politely as possible. He really wanted to barge through those doors and search the entire hospital until he found them all. Manny got up and flagged over a nurse that happened to be passing by.

"Nedra, This is Agent Gibbs. His team was involved in that crash on the beltway. Could you bring him back to see them?" Manny asked her gently.

"I absolutely can. Come right this way, Agent Gibbs." Nedra smiled at him. She was a petite woman, with long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, and striking blue eyes. He followed the pretty nurse back into the crowded ER. "Agent DiNozzo is being treated right over here. He has a slight concussion, and some bruises and contusions. Otherwise, he seems to be fine." She stopped in front of a room being covered by a curtain. "Go on in."

Gibbs pulled back the curtain and stepped into the room. Tony was lying in a bed, staring straight forward. He had bruises on his face and arms, and a bandage covered a wound on the right side of his forehead. His right wrist had been casted.

"Hey, DiNozzo," Gibbs said gently, walking over to the side of the bed. "You all right?"

Tony didn't seem to realize Gibbs was there, and if he did, he was doing a hell of a job ignoring him.

"Tony," he said, louder this time. Tony moved his head this time, to look at Gibbs. He seemed to come back to reality from wherever his mind had just taken him.

"Boss…"

"You all right?"

"For the most part."

"What happened?"

"Where are Tim and Ziva? The hospital won't let me see them."

"I don't know, Tony. What happened out there?"

"It's my fault," Tony said quickly, turning his eyes downward to his blanket.

"I'm sure it's not."

"I was driving, and I shouldn't have been."

"You don't mean—"

"We went out for a few drinks after you cut us loose for the weekend. We'd all had one too many. Ziva insisted on calling a taxi, but I was convinced I could drive. So I—I got behind the wheel. I remember Ziva getting in the car with me, but after that it's a blur."

Gibbs sat back and recalled the news report in his mind.

"The accident on the Beltway was serious, Tony. The news report says that no one was killed, but there were serious injuries."

Tony closed his eyes as he let out a groan.

"What did I do?" he asked, almost with a whimper. "I could have killed someone with my stupidity!"

"You're damn lucky no one was killed, DiNozzo. I agree that it was a stupid thing to do, but I'm not going to get mad at you for it. That would be counterproductive at this point."

"You should be mad, Boss! I caused a serious accident, and almost killed someone!"

"You're lucky to be alive, so just count your lucky stars."

Tony nodded silently.

"I want to see him!"

Tony's head snapped up at the familiar voice on the other side of the curtain.

"Probie?"

He saw the curtain move, and then pull back. There stood Tim, dirty and covered in bruises. He stood there on crutches.

"Tony! Are you all right?" Tim said, crutching halfway into the room before Gibbs guided him to a chair.

"I'll be fine. I'm just so glad to see that you're all right, Probester!" Tony said, smiling. "Have you seen Ziva?" he asked immediately.

"No, I thought you might have."

"You don't think she—"

"She's not dead, Tony," Tim said immediately. "Don't even think that."

Gibbs stepped forward.  
"I'm going to go find out what the hell happened to Ziva. You two stay right here," Gibbs said in a commanding tone.

"Yes, Boss," Tim said as Gibbs left them.

"What do you remember?" Tony asked.

"About the accident? Not much. I remember getting into the backseat of your car. You were driving like Gibbs for what seemed like forever. I was kind of half lying down back there. When I heard your tires screeching, I sat up just in time to see us go through the guard rail. I hit my head and that was it."

Tony collapsed into his pillow and shut his eyes.

_What the hell was I thinking? How could I put my friends in this position? How stupid could I be to get into a car after having that many drinks?_

The curtain sailed open, bringing Tony back from his musings. Gibbs stormed into the room and pulled it closed again. He did not look happy.

"I found Ziva," he said solemnly.

"What happened?" Tim asked.

"She's in Intensive Care. Ziva is in a coma."

Tony stiffened, covering his face with his hands.

_What did I do?_

**TBC...**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Notes: **__Thanks to all who have reviewed. I'm passing an OOC warning for Tony at this point in the story, to alleviate any concerns. If anyone is uncomfortable with an OOC Tony, please do not read. Thank you._

__Tony hadn't spoken for days. The ER had released him, but he insisted on being with Ziva. He'd planted himself in her room, refusing to leave. Abby started bringing him lunch and coffee, hoping she could get through to him. He'd simply take her lunch offering and eat silently.

Abby's worry o-meter was off the charts. She'd been splitting her time between her duties at NCIS, taking care of Tim, and visiting Tony and Ziva at the hospital. She wouldn't admit it, but she was completely exhausted. She made it painfully evident when Gibbs came into her lab one morning, about two weeks after the accident. Abby was sleeping at her desk. He shook her shoulder gently, to wake her.

"Abbs," he said gently. She stirred and sat up.

"Gibbs?" she looked at her watch. "Oh my gosh, I've been asleep for two hours! My test is ruined!" She bolted across the lab, to the unfinished experiment on her lab table. The chemicals she had been working with had been sitting way too long, and were starting to react badly. Gibbs blocked her path as she disposed of the ruined chemicals.

"You need to relax, Abby."

"There's not time to relax, Gibbs! I have work to do around here, and I have to take care of Timmy, and—"

"You _need _to take a nap. Use your futon if you need to. I'll make sure no one bothers you."

"It's been so hard to sleep, you know. I can't stop thinking about Tony and Ziva. I just want everyone to be okay."

"We all do." He kissed her on the forehead. "Go take a nap."

"Thanks."

"Anytime, Abbs."

Gibbs sighed and turned to leave the Lab. His next stop was Director Vance's office. Vance already knew about the accident, and Gibbs had been purposefully avoiding a trip to his office. McGee was on desk duty, and Balboa had loaned out agent McAvoy to Gibbs, as he was needed. The ding of the elevator brought Gibbs back from his musings, and he made his way into the Director's office. The secretary ignored him as usual, and he let himself into Leon's office.

"Good to finally see you, Gibbs," Leon said dryly. "How is Agent David?"

"Still in a coma. The doctor says the swelling on her brain has gone down considerably. We're just waiting for her to wake up, at this point."

"And DiNozzo?"

"I can't get him to leave her side."

"I figured as much." Leon sat down at his desk, and motioned for Gibbs to have a seat. Gibbs elected to stand. "I need to talk to you about the circumstances surrounding the accident." He handed Gibbs a file. "You may want to sit while you read that, Jethro."

Gibbs opened the file. It contained the accident report, and photos. Gibbs fell into the chair behind him as he read through the report. The pictures were quite graphic. Tony's car was totaled. There were photos of Ziva as she lay in the vehicle, and McGee's twisted body in the backseat. There was another car as well. It didn't suffer quite as much damage as Tony's car. When he finished with the file, he looked up at Vance.

"It wasn't Tony's fault."

"No, it wasn't. He isn't out of the woods completely on this, but the accident was not his fault." Leon rose from his chair, and Gibbs followed suit. "Go tell him, Gibbs. Put his mind at ease."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tony stared at Ziva as she slept soundly. It had been a week since the accident, and he hadn't been home. It didn't seem right leaving Ziva alone. Abby had come up and brought him clean clothes, food and coffee, but her gestures brought him little comfort. It didn't change the fact that he put Ziva in that bed. Her right leg was casted all the way up to her hip, she was covered in bruises, and her forehead was bandaged, from being thrown into the dashboard when his passenger airbag didn't deploy.

"How is she?"

The voice startled Tony out of his musings.

"She's the same, Boss. No change. Just, in a coma."

"Can we talk for a minute?" Gibbs asked, motioning to the door.

Tony glanced between Gibbs and Ziva. He didn't want to leave her alone, not for a minute. What if she woke up, and she was alone?

"I can't leave her," Tony said quietly.

"You can step out for a few minutes, Tony. She'll be all right."

"No, she won't. You don't understand—"

"It's not a request. Come on," Gibbs said firmly.

Tony opened his mouth to respond, but stopped himself. He followed Gibbs into the ICU waiting room. It was empty at the moment, and quieter than the main waiting area. Gibbs pointed to a couch to their left.

"Sit down."

Tony sank down onto the soft couch. It had been a while since he'd sat on something soft. Gibbs held a file in his left hand.

"Are those my termination papers?" Tony said.

_Thwack!_

"Why would you think you're fired, DiNozzo?"

"I got behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol, and I caused a serious accident! How is that not grounds for dismissal?"

"The accident wasn't your fault."

"Of course it was! I was drunk!"

"Read the damn police report, before you pass judgment on yourself." He held the folder out to Tony. Shakily, Tony took the folder and opened it. Right on top was a police report. The room was quiet while he read. Finally, he closed the folder and looked up at Gibbs.

"The accident wasn't my fault."

"No, it wasn't. Stop sitting around here, blaming yourself."

"If we'd taken a cab, this wouldn't have happened! It's my fault for making everyone get into my car."

"You didn't ask for that pickup to swerve in front of your car. You're lucky you were aware enough to swerve."

"Yeah, right off the beltway, into a ditch. Was anyone hurt in the pickup?"

"No. The guy kept on driving. There's a BOLO out on the vehicle."

Tony leaned back and closed his eyes, until he remembered something else from the report.

"The report says my blood-alcohol content was over the legal limit. What's going to happen to me?"

"You're damn lucky, is what's going to happen. Vance is pissed, but he doesn't want to see you in jail, either. He wants to meet with you to discuss it."

"W-when?" Tony stuttered. _I must be tired, if I'm starting to stutter like McGee, _he thought.

"He'll be calling you."

"Great."

"In the meantime, go home and take a shower, get some rest. I'll stay with Ziva."

"No, I can't leave her!" Tony said, jumping up.

"It's not a request at this point, DiNozzo. Go home."

"If something happens to her—"

"You'll be the first one I call."

Tony nodded mutely. He handed Gibbs the report, and left the waiting room.

**TBC…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes: **Thanks to all who have stuck with me so far. I know OOC Tony can get a little controversial, but I hope I'm leading you all in a good direction.

**Chapter 3**

Tony stood outside the door to Vance's office. It had been a couple of days since Gibbs forced him to leave Ziva's side. He'd been up there a few times, but, with help from Abby and Tim, he was able to keep himself from gluing himself to her bedside 24/7. He'd scheduled his meeting with Vance right away, and he'd been dreading it ever since. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door to the Director's office.

"Agent DiNozzo," Vance said, standing and extending a hand. Tony shook it cordially. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better, Sir. Thank you for asking."

"Have a seat. We have a lot to talk about."

Tony sat as directed.

"I've had some time to go over the accident report submitted by Metro PD."

Tony lowered his eyes. He wasn't sure he could look at the Director as he spoke. He was sure he was going to be fired, and his career in law enforcement over.

"As you are most likely aware, the accident was not your fault. The report states that several witnesses saw the pickup truck move into your lane of traffic, causing you to swerve out of the way. My concern, Agent DiNozzo, was that you were under the influence of alcohol when this accident happened."

"Yes sir. I went out with Agents McGee and David after work for a few drinks. We were all in my car, on our way to drop Ziva at her apartment, when the accident happened on the beltway."

"The hospital did a tox screen when they brought you in. Your BAC was over the legal limit, Agent DiNozzo. This fact alone is terms for dismissal. Do you understand?"

Tony nodded and started to remove his badge and gun.

"What are you doing?"

Tony stopped what he was doing.

"Haven't I just been fired?" he asked.

"Not today, Agent DiNozzo. You're an exceptional Agent. Your record with this Agency is spotless. I would be a fool to terminate you over a car accident. However, I can't let this pass completely."

"I understand."

"Effective immediately, I'm suspending you from duty for a period of one week."

"Yes sir." Tony handed him the gun and badge he was still holding onto. Vance set them on his desk.

"You'll be on probation when you come back, for a period of three months. During that time, you will not be permitted to drive any Agency vehicle, for any reason. If you are caught doing so, it could result in termination. Do you understand this?"

"Yes sir. Will I be allowed to work in the field?"

"I'll determine that when you come back from suspension."

"Yes Sir."

"You're dismissed."

Tony got up and left Vance's office. He was glad he still had a job, but the next three months were going to be especially hard. He'd never been on probation before. It wasn't going to be easy, not by a long shot.

Gibbs was at his desk when Tony came down the stairs into the squad room. Tony caught his glance.

"Vance says I'm suspended for a week."

"You got lucky. I was getting ready to promote McGee to Senior Field Agent." Gibbs said with a smirk.

"That's funny, Boss."

"Yep. Go home, Tony. Get some rest. Go be with Ziva. Just don't be here."

"How is she?" he asked.

"She was still out when I left there an hour ago. The doctors are concerned that she hasn't come out of it yet."

"I'm going up there."

Tony turned to leave.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said loudly, standing up at his desk. "Don't sleep there anymore. That's an order."

"Yes, Boss." Tony grabbed a few items from his desk, and left the office.

Tony found her in the same state as he left her the day before. The bruising on her face and arms was fading. He sank down into the chair at her side, and slipped his hand into hers.

"You can't sleep forever, you know. We need you back." He could feel a tear trickle down his cheek. "I need you, Ziva." He dropped his head and let the tears fall. "I'm so sorry..."

Tony's head snapped up suddenly, when he felt Ziva's hand clasp around his.

"Ziva?" he said hopefully. He watched as her eyelids fluttered slowly. "Can you hear me, Ziva?" he asked quietly. He watched as Ziva slowly opened her eyes. She turned her head slowly toward Tony.

"What happened?" she asked.

"I… there was an accident…"

Before he could elaborate further, a nurse came in, and smiled upon finding her patient awake and responsive.

"Hello, Miss David. How are you feeling?"

"Like I was hit by a truck," she said shakily. She turned to Tony. "Was that right?"

_In more ways than one, _Tony thought.

"Yeah, that's the right euphemism." He smiled.

"Let me get the doctor to check you out, Miss David. Sit tight." The nurse left the room. Ziva turned her head to look at Tony. He looked terrible, as if he'd been deprived of sleep.

"Tony—"

She was interrupted by the Doctor's arrival.

"Ms. David, I'm Dr. Richards, your attending physician. It's nice to see you've finally come back to us. How do you feel?"

"A bit groggy, but all right."

"That's good. I'd like to do an MRI of your brain, just to check on the swelling. If everything goes well, we can have you out of the hospital very soon. I'll be back in a little while to take you for the scan."

"Thank you, Doctor." Dr. Richards wrote in Ziva's chart, replaced it in the slot at the end of her bed, and left them alone. Ziva turned immediately to face Tony.

"What happened?"

"Ziva, please…"

"What is it, Tony? What could have been so bad?"

"There was a car accident. I was driving you home from O'Doyle's. We were on the Beltway, and a truck cut me off. I had no choice but to swerve into the guard rail."

"That was not your fault, Tony."

"Ziva… there's more to it than that. I…" Tony got up and turned away. He couldn't look at her. "I was drunk that night. There's no way I should have been behind the wheel. I—this is all my fault. I'm sorry." He leaned against the wall, dropping his eyes to the floor.

Ziva didn't say anything for almost a minute. It was a lot of information to take in. The only emotion that was registering to her at the moment was anger.

"How could you have been so careless in your judgement, Tony? I can't believe you would risk your friends' lives, just to avoid a taxi!"

"You remember that," he said, still unable to face her.

"I do not have amnesia, Tony."

Tony took a chance and turned to face her. There was definitely anger in her eyes.

"Ziva, I—"

"I think you should leave, Tony. I need some time to process all I have heard."

"But I—"

"Tony, please, go!"

Realizing he was defeated, Tony nodded silently, and left Ziva's room. He found his car in the parking garage, and started driving toward O'Leary's.

**TBC…**


	4. Chapter 4

_**Notes: **__So we've got Tony running back to alcohol, and Ziva irrationally upset. This is going to be interesting… thanks again to all who've been sticking with me. _

**Chapter 4**

After he'd finished filing his case reports, Gibbs headed back to the hospital to check on Ziva. He was pleasantly surprised to find her awake.

"How are you feeling?"

"I am well. The doctor took a scan of my head. He says the swelling is practically gone."

"That's good," Gibbs said. "Tony go for coffee?"

Ziva shifted her eyes away from Gibbs at the mention of Tony.

"What aren't you telling me, Ziva?"Gibbs asked, concerned.

"Tony left a few hours ago, and has not returned. He was here when I woke up, and told me of the accident. I got angry, and asked him to leave."

Gibbs took out his cell phone and hit the speed dial for Tony. When he didn't answer, Gibbs' next call was to Tim.

"McGee, I need a favor. Tony is missing. I need you to track the GPS in his cell."

_"Absolutely, give me a minute." _

The line was silent for a moment.

_"Boss, he's at O'Leary's. You don't think he's—"_

"For his sake, he'd better not be drinking. Thanks, McGee. I owe you a coffee."

_"Just get Tony before he hurts himself."_

"No worries. Go home, Tim. Get some rest."

Gibbs hung up the phone, and turned back to Ziva.

"Tony slept by your bed for a week. I had to force him to go home and take a shower. He cares more about you than you think."

Gibbs turned and left the room before Ziva had a chance to respond.

O'Leary's was quite crowded, for a Wednesday evening. Gibbs spotted Tony at the bar, nursing a glass of scotch. He made a beeline to his SFA, and put a hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

"Tony, what are you doing here?"

"Drinking."

_Thwack! _

"Have you lost your mind?"

"I don't have anything else to lose at this point."

Gibbs looked up at the bartender.

"How long has he been here?" he asked her.

"A couple of hours. I was about to cut him off after that last drink."

Gibbs nodded his thanks and turned back to Tony.

"You're done. I'm taking you home."

He reached to take Tony's glass out of his hand. Tony jumped out of his chair and threw a punch. The scotch glass went flying, and smashed on the floor five feet away. Gibbs grabbed Tony by the arm and twisted it behind his back. He shoved him against the bar, and took out a pair of handcuffs. He cuffed the SFA's hands behind his back. He took some cash from his wallet and gave it to the bartender for Tony's tab. Without another word, he yanked Tony out of the bar by his arm.

Tony thrashed around in Gibbs' grip the entire way to the car. When they got there, Gibbs slammed him up against the side of the car.

"What the hell is the matter with you!"

"You have no right to handcuff me!" Tony shouted angrily, attempting futilely to escape Gibbs' grip.

"I have every right when you assault me in a bar in front of witnesses!"

"You're arresting me for assault?" Tony said, shocked.

"We'll see."

Gibbs shoved him into the backseat of the car and slammed it shut. He stalked around to the driver's side and got in.

The car was ominously silent as Gibbs drove. Tony shifted uncomfortably in the backseat. He didn't attempt to speak with Gibbs. Nothing he could say right now would calm him down. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on the seat in front of him and closed his eyes.

Tony was jolted upright when the car screeched to a halt. He blinked in shock when he saw where they were.

"You're not taking me to jail?" Tony asked as Gibbs opened the doot to let him out. Gibbs didn't say anything. He simply yanked Tony out of the car by his arm and slammed the door.

"Are you finished boxing with me, DiNozzo?"

Tony nodded mutely. Gibbs took out his keys and unlocked the handcuffs, freeing Tony's hands.

"Follow me," Gibbs ordered, putting the handcuffs away in his coat. Tony silently followed him into the house. He pointed to the couch. "Sit your ass down."

Tony did as instructed.

"You want to tell me what happened between you and Ziva?"

"She hates my guts, Boss. I told her about the accident, and now she hates me for it."

"So you thought going back to the same bar that caused the trouble, and getting drunk _again _was going to _help?_ Have you completely lost your mind?"

"She didn't give me a chance to explain myself. She just told me to leave. I've destroyed every friendship I have, and put a dent in my career, all for a few drinks after work."

Gibbs sighed and sat down next to him on the couch.

"The only thing you're destroying is yourself. Going back to that bar was the dumbest thing you could have done. You have a problem, you call me. I don't care if it's the middle of the night. You call me. If I have to drag your ass out of a bar one more time, you're not gonna like the result. Are we clear?"

"Yes, Boss."

"Good." He stood up. "Get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."

With that, Gibbs left him alone in the living room. Seeing no other alternative, Tony lay down and pulled the blanket over him that was draped over the top of the couch. Maybe he hadn't destroyed _all _of his friendships, but there was one that needed repairing.

**TBC...**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Notes: **__It has come to my attention that I haven't clarified what kind of fic this is going to turn into. Fair warning, this WILL be a Tiva fic, but nothing overly mushy or explicit. _

**Chapter 5**

Gibbs found his couch empty when he came upstairs the next morning. The smell of coffee told him that Tony had been up for a while. As he poured himself a cup of coffee, he spotted Tony, sitting in a chair on his back patio. He took his coffee and made his way outside. Tony stiffened at the sound of the sliding door opening.

"How do you feel?" Gibbs asked, sitting in the chair next to Tony.

"Like crap."

Gibbs sipped his coffee and leaned back in his chair. The sun had come out, making it pleasantly warm out. He'd often enjoyed mornings like this, back when Shannon was still alive. He rarely came out here anymore.

While Gibbs was enjoying the sun, Tony was cringing at it. He rubbed his temples to try and ease the throbbing pain in his head. Finally, a little unnerved by the silence, Tony turned to Gibbs.

"Boss, I owe you an apology for my behavior last night. I did a really stupid thing, going back to O'Leary's."

"Why'd you go there?" Gibbs asked.

"I'm not sure." Tony leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He knew exactly what brought him there, but if he told Gibbs, he'd get skinned alive.

"You should talk to Ziva," Gibbs said. He saw Tony flinch a little at the mention of Ziva's name. At that moment, he understood what was going through Tony's mind.

"She hates me, Boss. What I did… that's unforgivable. I could have killed her and Tim with my stupidity."

"McGee has forgiven you," Gibbs reminded him. "Why is it impossible for Ziva to do the same?"

"She and I… we have a different kind of friendship. It's going to take a long time to earn her trust again… if she's ever willing to try."

"Give her some time." Gibbs stood up and stretched. "I have to get to the Yard. Go home, Tony. Get some rest. I'll see you next week."

Tony stood up as the sun dipped behind the clouds again, offering his throbbing head a bit of relief.

"Thanks for not giving up on me, Boss."

Gibbs clapped him on the back.

"Never leave a man behind."

Tony smiled a little.

"Come on, I'll take you to get your car."

Gibbs dropped Tony off at O'Leary's to pick up his car, and Tony drove straight home from there. Gibbs had drilled it into his head on the way there that if he went anywhere else but home, he'd be sure to extend his suspension from active duty. Tony obliged and drove straight home. As soon as he got there, he went straight to bed and passed out.

Pounding on his door roused him out of bed. He glanced at the clock and realized he'd been sleeping all day. It was seven in the evening. When the pounding on his door didn't stop, Tony got out of bed and pulled on some sweatpants to answer the door. He got a shock when he opened it. There stood Tim, attempting to balance a pizza in his hands, while standing on crutches.

"Hungry?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Tony said with a smile. He reached for the pizza "Let me take that."

Tony brought the pizza into the kitchen, and they helped themselves to a couple of slices each. Neither of them said much. Tony grabbed a two-liter of soda from the refrigerator, and took it and two glasses into the living room. Tim hobbled after him, paper plate in hand. Tony helped him sit down on the couch, and poured them each some soda.

They ate in companionable silence. Tony's eyes kept wandering to Tim's knee. His kneecap was fractured in the accident, when Tim was thrown around in the backseat. A large knee brace immobilized his knee.

"You can ask me about it, instead of staring," Tim said, noticing Tony's gaze.

"How bad was it?" he asked quietly.

"The fracture wasn't bad enough for surgery. I'll be in this brace for a while. Abby's been sequestering me at her place, because her building has an elevator."

"How _is_ Abby?"

"Tired. She's been worried about all of us."

_So worried, _Tony thought, _that she couldn't even pick up a phone and call me?_

"How did you manage to get here on your own?" Tony suddenly said in realization.

"I called a cab. Abby means well, but she's smothering me. I needed some space."

"She'll find you, you know."

"Eventually. For now, I really want to eat this pizza," Tim said with a small smile. As he reached for his plate on the coffee table, Tim's phone started ringing. The caller ID showed him it was Abby.

"I'd better answer, or she'll kill me. Hello?"

_"Timothy McGee, do you know how worried I've been about you?" _

"Everyone knows how worried you are, Abby," Tim shot back coolly.

_"How dare you take off like that without leaving a note! You could have died!"_

"Abby, you're worse than my mother. I'm a grown man. I can do as I please."

_"You fractured your kneecap, Tim. You shouldn't be wandering around alone. What if something happened to you?" _

"Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm over at Tony's, eating pizza. I'll be just fine. I'll have Tony drive me home later."

There was silence on the line for a moment. Tim knew Abby was trying to choose her words.

_"I'm coming to pick you up."_

"No, you will not, Abby. Stop treating me like a child! You're not my mother!"

_"Fine, Tim. When you're ready to leave, you can take a cab, and don't bother coming back to my place." _

Tim flinched as Abby slammed the phone down in his ear. He set it next to him on the arm of the couch.

"I've just been kicked out of Abby's apartment," he said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"She kicked you out because of me, didn't she?"

Tim was silent. Anything he said to Tony would not make him feel better about the situation. Tony got up and stormed into the kitchen. Tim pushed himself up and crutched after him.

"Tony…"

"How could she just _not _trust me?" he said, turning to face Tim. "Am I a bad person or something?"

"You did a dumb thing, Tony. We all do dumb things. Abby takes that dumb thing and multiplies it by a thousand."

"What I did is pretty serious… I could have killed you and Ziva. I almost lost my career over it."

"We were all stupid that night. We all got into that car and drove away from O'Leary's. You didn't put a gun to our heads and force us into the car."

"True—" Tony was cut off by the sound of Tim's phone ringing in the living room. Tim started to crutch in there to get it, but Tony stopped him. "Let me get it for you."

Tony jogged into his living room and came back with the phone.

"It's Gibbs."

Tim quickly answered.

"McGee."

_"Why aren't you at your desk, McGee? I called Abby an hour ago." _

"Abby and I kind of had a fight, Boss. She kicked me out. I'm over at Tony's."

_"Oh, for the love of—fine, have DiNozzo give you a ride. Just get your ass here."_

"On my way now, Boss."

Tim hung up.

"Can I bum a ride to the office from you?"

"Of course you can! What kind of question is that?" Tony grabbed his keys from the counter. "Let's go."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Notes: **__thank you for bearing with me during my hiatus from updating this fic… I hope you enjoy the next installment. Also, if my writing becomes boring, please let me know, so I can Gibbs-slap myself, and write better._

__**Chapter 6**

_~One Week Later~_

Tony stood in front of his bedroom mirror, nervously straightening his tie. Today was his first day back at the office, and he was worried about what was going to happen. He hoped he would be put back on field duty right away, but he wasn't holding his breath.

A knock at the door brought him out of his musings. He turned to see Tim leaning against the door frame.

"You all right?" Tony asked.

"I need help with my pants," Tim said nonchalantly. It had taken a couple of days to get Tony used to helping him with this necessity. At this point neither of them cared. Tony helped him to the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. He came back with Tim's bag, and let him pick out a pair of slacks. Tony helped him carefully put them on, and left Tim to finish dressing from there. He hobbled out to the living room a few minutes later, and they left quietly for work.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

Gibbs looked up as the elevator opened. Tony and Tim stepped out together. He'd given them a little leeway time in getting there, due to the length of time it now took Tim to get ready in the morning. He watched Tony help Tim to his desk, and quietly take his own seat.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs said loudly, to get his attention. Tony immediately looked up from his e-mail.

"Yeah, Boss?"

"Go see the Director."

Tony got up without a word and went upstairs. When he was gone, Gibbs got up and went over to Tim's desk.

"How's the leg?"

"Healing. Thanks for asking."

"How's Tony been?" Gibbs asked with concern.

"Quieter than usual," Tim confessed. "In the week I've been at his place, I haven't heard _one _movie reference. He just sits on the couch and watches his movies."

"Has he been up to see Ziva?"

"He won't go."

"How about you? Have you spoken to Abby?"

"No. She won't return my calls, either."

Gibbs smiled at Tim, and returned to his desk. In the face of tragedy, Tim was being very stoic about everything. Gibbs knew that while he stood behind Tony 100 percent, his youngest agent had struggles of his own. He wanted more than anything to sit them all down in a room and make them kiss and make up, but he knew he'd have to let them work it out for themselves this time.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

Assigned to desk duty until further notice, Tony was presented with three folders filled with cold cases. Throughout the day, he managed to both avoid Abby and annoy Gibbs with his reluctance to go down to the lab for updates. By the end of the day, Gibbs was at his wits' end. This nonsense _had _to stop.

"DiNozzo, take McGee and go down to the lab, and don't come back up here without an update. Understood?"

Tony was about to argue, again, but the look in Gibbs' eyes told him that he may not survive the rest of the day if he kept up his immature behavior. Instead, he rose from his seat, and met Tim in the middle of the room. They boarded the elevator together. As soon as it closed, Tony hit the stop.

"Will you talk to her, Probie?"

"She hates me right now, Tony! She's not going to want to talk to me."

"She hates both of us. Going down there is such a bad idea."

"Let's just go down, get our results and come back up. Nothing more, nothing less. If she wants to talk about other stuff, then so be it."

Tony grinned.

"I'm glad your brain survived that accident, Probie. I don't know what I'd do without you!"

"Thanks, I think," Tim said as Tony turned the elevator back on. A thought occurred to Tim at that moment. "We'd better bring her caf pow."

"Good idea, Probie."

The boys stopped at the food court and bought two super-sized caf pows. They secretly hoped the drinks would bring up her spirits a bit, and make her easier to talk to. Hopefully.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

Abby was in front of the computer, doing a fingerprint analysis, when they arrived. The music was on, but the volume was at a tolerable level. Tim and Tony moved slowly into the lab. Tony set the caf pows on her table.

"Abby," he started. She picked up her stereo remote and turned up her music, ignoring him.

"Abby!" Tim shouted. "Gibbs needs your results from the fingerprint analysis!"

She continued to work, ignoring Tim's shouts. Tony finally reached over and took the remote, silencing the deafening music. Abby leapt at him for it, but he held it out of her reach.

"We need an update on the fingerprint analysis Gibbs sent you on Lt. Mitchell. Can you give that to us without a problem?" he asked sternly.

"I'm not finished with it yet. It's still running through AFIS. Tell Gibbs I'll call him when it's finished."

She snatched her remote from Tony and turned on the radio again. Tony and Tim exchanged looks, and turned to leave the lab. They were almost to the door when Tim stopped short, and turned himself around.

"What are you doing?" Tony asked.

"I'm done running, Tony. I'm going to say what I have to say, right now." He crutched over to Abby and turned off the music. She tried to grab the remote, but Tim tossed it to Tony, out of her reach.

"I've got something to say, Abby, and you're going to listen. You are being very childish. You and I have fought about petty stuff in the past, but you've gone too far this time, Abby. You treated me like a child while I was staying with you, and when I leave to have some time to myself, you insist on picking me up, like I'm a teenager sneaking off to a party. That's not acceptable behavior for friends. On top of treating me like dirt and kicking me out of your apartment, you threw the blame on Tony! He made a mistake, and he's paying for it. I'm not going to hold it against him, and you shouldn't, either. When you're ready to stop being a child, you know where to find me."

Tim turned and crutched out of the lab without another word. Tony turned the music back on and tossed Abby her remote, following Tim out. Abby stood there, staring aimlessly at her door, clutching the remote in her hands.

**TBC…**


	7. Chapter 7

_**Notes: **__The aforementioned Tiva I've posted a warning about will be in this chapter. I know we all have our favored pairings, but please bear with me on this. I hope you've all enjoyed the story so far!_

__**Chapter 7**

_~two weeks later~_

"What have we got?" Gibbs asked as he loomed over Tony at the scene of a murder. The team had been called to the home of a young Navy lieutenant, gunned down in his own driveway. Tony had jumped right into the case, ecstatic to be off desk duty.

"Lieutenant Ian Powers. He was gunned down in his driveway in front of his entire neighborhood."

"All right. DiNozzo, bag and tag. McGee, can you do photos?"

"Yeah, Boss," Tim said, limping over to the body with a camera.

Gibbs nodded and walked away as Tim started to snap pictures.

"So Tony, have you and Ziva talked yet?" Tim asked as he leaned in to snap a photo of the entrance wounds on the victim's chest.

"You don't think I've tried, Probie? If her leg wasn't broken, she'd probably have killed me with that paperclip already."

"I doubt it. What's that?" he asked, pointing to something shiny sticking out of Lt. Powers' shirt pocket. Tony carefully eased the object out. It was a piece of metal.

"I'm not sure," Tony replied, holding it up so Tim could take a picture. "Maybe Abby can figure out what it is." He bagged it and added it to the bin next to him on the ground. "Has Abby talked to you since you told her off?"

"Only with work-related things."

"Right. What's up with women, lately?" Tony asked. Seconds later, he felt the sting of a head slap.

"Quit jabbering and get back to work," Gibbs said, glaring at both of them.

"Right, Boss."

**NCISNCISNCIS**

When they returned to NCIS, Tim was sent down to Abby's lab with the evidence. Tony entered the bullpen with Gibbs. Ziva didn't even look up from her computer as Tony passed by.

"Ziva, what have you got for me on our Lieutenant?"

Ziva clicked on the plasma.

"Lieutenant Ian Powers, age 27. He joined the Navy right after high school. His record is spotless, and he's had several commendations from his Commanding Officer."

"Family?"

"Parents deceased, one older sister who lives in Baltimore."

"DiNozzo, get a BOLO out on that license plate we got from the neighbor. Ziva, check Powers' phone records. I want to know who he's been talking to."

"Yes, Gibbs."

While he was on the phone putting out the BOLO, Tony couldn't help but stare in Ziva's direction. She was acting as if Tony weren't there. The silence between them had gone on too long. He had to do something before lost her forever. His caller finally picked up, and Tony tore his eyes from Ziva and resumed putting out the BOLO.

**NCISNCISNCIS**

Gibbs called it around 9:00 that evening. The squad room had filtered out over time. Gibbs and Tim boarded the elevator together. Tony and Ziva were left in the bullpen, alone. Tony walked over to Ziva's desk as he put his coat on.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I am fine, Tony."

"I'd like to take you to dinner, if you'll let me."

"I am tired tonight. I wish to go home and go to bed."

"At least let me drive you home, then."

She hesitated at his offer.

"I am not sure that's a good idea, Tony."

"When are you going to cut me a little slack here, Ziva? The accident was over a month ago. I did a stupid thing, and I'm still paying for it. How can you still be holding it against me?"

"You almost got me killed!"

"I didn't force you into the car, Ziva! You could have blown me off and taken a cab!"

"We were all drunk, Tony! We had no inhibitions!"

"That's exactly my point! _We _were drunk," he said, waving his hand in between the two of them. "McGee has forgiven me," he said, starting to calm down a bit. "Why can't you?"

"It's not that easy, Tony."

"I don't understand," Tony said, sighing in frustration.

"How can you _not _understand!" she shouted. "It is not that hard to comprehend!"

"Listen to me," he said, struggling to keep himself calm. "I did a really, really stupid thing. I got behind the wheel after having a few too many beers. Whether or not the accident happened has nothing to do with the fact that I should not have even _tried _to drive that night. I'm sorry for putting you in that position. The last thing I want is to lose you. I—"

He'd almost said it. _Almost. _And then, it came out, before he could stop himself.

"I love you, Ziva."

Ziva stared at him for a while. She wasn't quite ready for _that _admission. There was a whirlwind of emotions going through her head at that moment. She looked up at Tony's eyes. They were sincere.

"Tony—I think I need some time, to think."

"I've heard that line before." Tony turned away from her, picked up his bag and walked to the elevator.

"Tony, wait!" she shouted, but it was in vain. The elevator opened, and he stepped on without another word. Ducky stepped out at the same time, perplexed at what he'd briefly witnessed.

"What just happened?" Ducky asked as he approached Ziva's desk.

"I am not sure, Ducky."

"I gather from Tony's exit, that the two of you did not make up?"

"No."

"What _did _happen?" Ducky asked as he helped Ziva with her coat, and handed her the crutches.

"Tony has—he has just told me that he loves me."

"Oh dear."

"I did not say it back."

Ducky walked with her to the elevator and pressed the call button.

"How _do _you feel, Ziva?"

"That's the problem. I love him too."

"Why didn't you tell him?"

"I am not sure. I was not ready for him to say it like he did."

"Ziva, my dear, if you love Tony, do not wait to tell him." They boarded the elevator. "If you wait too long, the moment may pass you by forever."

"I have always been hesitant, with Gibbs and his rules."

"I believe there are two of Jethro's rules that negate Rule number 12."

Realization slowly washed over Ziva's face.

"Ducky, can you drive me to Tony's apartment? I need to speak with him, and it can't wait."

Duck smiled.

"Certainly, my Dear."

**TBC…**


	8. Chapter 8

_Notes: This chapter will contain the Tiva I've mentioned earlier in the story (just a fair warning). _

**Chapter 8**

Tony found himself driving across town. He wasn't going to his apartment though. He wasn't sure what possessed him, but soon he was pulling into Gibbs' driveway. Taking a deep breath, he got out of the car and headed into the house, and straight for the basement. He stopped in the doorway. Gibbs was bent over his latest project. Tony suddenly lost his nerve, and turned to leave.

"You coming down, DiNozzo?"

Tony stopped before he could step back into the kitchen. He turned around and made his way down the stairs.

"How did you know?" he asked.

Gibbs simply gave him a look and nodded to a stool. Tony sat down, and Gibbs turned back to his work.

"What did she say?" Gibbs asked, without looking away from the elaborate dollhouse he was making.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, hoping to avoid the question.

"You know what I mean, Tony."

Tony sighed and lowered his eyes.

"Let's just say I know exactly why Rule 12 is in place now, Boss."

"What happened?"

"I said it, right there in the squad room. We were arguing about the accident, and it came out. It was the worst possible time to even think of saying that to her."

Gibbs set down his tools and turned to Tony.

"It's been pretty obvious, the way you two feel about each other."

"But Rule 12—"

"Rule 5, DiNozzo."

"Rule 5?"

"Yep."

Tony sat there for a moment, trying to remember Rule 5. It suddenly hit him, and he rose from his seat.

"I have to go."

He started up the stairs, but stopped and turned to Gibbs.

"Thanks, Boss."

Gibbs waved over his shoulder, and Tony left.

**NCISNCISNCISNCIS**

Tony hadn't been home when Ziva arrived at his apartment. The ride to Georgetown was quiet. Neither of them spoke when Ducky helped her into his townhouse, and situated her on the sofa bed before retiring for the evening.

She stared at the ceiling, trying to think of ways to fix things with Tony. What had she done? Her stubbornness had ruined one of the best friendships she'd had in her life.

A sharp knock at the front door brought Ziva back from her musings. Moments later, Ducky appeared, tying his bathrobe. He wasn't shocked when he opened the door to find Tony on his stoop.

"I've been expecting you. Come in, Tony."

"Thanks, Ducky." Ton y stepped inside. Ducky closed the door and gestured for Tony to follow him. He led him into the living room. Ziva was sitting up on the sofa bed, her legs covered by one of Ducky's quilts.

"Have a seat. I'll go make some tea," Ducky said, motioning to a chair. Tony sat down, and Ducky disappeared into the kitchen, leaving them alone together.

The two of them sat in silence. Neither of them wanted to be first to speak. Ducky came back a few minutes later, carrying a tray with a teapot and two cups. He set it on the end table nearest Ziva, so she could have the cream and sugar within her reach.

"I shall leave you two alone," Ducky said. "Good night." With that, Ducky promptly left the room.

Tony smiled.

"He had this planned, didn't he?"

"I suppose so."

Ziva put a couple of teaspoons of sugar into her tea, and sipped it slowly. The warm drink was welcoming on such a bitter night. Tony's sat untouched. Neither of them spoke.

The time passed quietly, Ziva drinking tea, and Tony sitting quietly. After her third cup of tea, Ziva grew tired of the silence, and set her cup down on the tray.

"If you have come to talk, we should probably talk," she said.

Tony got up and stood by the window, staring out at Ducky's front yard.

"I meant what I said earlier."

"I know."

Tony fell silent, gazing out the window again.

"Why did you come here, Tony?" Ziva finally asked.

"Rule 5," Tony replied.

Ziva smiled. _He must have visited Gibbs._

"I was thinking of another rule, one that I should have thought of some time ago."

"What is that?"

"Rule 51."

Tony finally turned around and looked at Ziva.

"What are you saying?"

"I forgive you for the accident, Tony. It was selfish of me to stay angry at you."

Tony sat down on the edge of the sofa bed.

"Listen… when I said 'I love you' earlier-"

"You meant it."

Tony nodded.

"Can I tell you a secret, Tony?"

"What is that?"

Ziva took his chin and pulled his lips to hers for a gentle kiss. Tony was a bit shocked at first, but quickly melted into it. It was filled with more passion than he'd ever felt in his life.

"Wow," he said when they finally parted.

"Rule 5," Ziva said softly. "Don't waste good."

"I still want to take you out to dinner," Tony said, intertwining her hand in his.

"I accept."

Tony smiled and leaned in for another passionate kiss.

**END (Epilogue coming)**


	9. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_~One Month Later~_

The elevator in the squad room dinged. Tony looked up, and smiled when it was Ziva who stepped through the doors. He stood as she walked into the squad room and deposited her things at her desk.

"You got your cast off!" he said excitedly. He came around and met her in the middle of the squad room, and enveloped her in a hug. "It's about time," he whispered in her ear.

At that moment, Tim came flying around the corner from the back elevator, looking panicked.

"Incoming," he said, as he walked by Tony and Ziva and to the safety of his desk. Knowing what he meant, the pair quickly parted and made it back to their desks in time for Gibbs to storm into the squad room.

"McGee!"

Tim barely made it to his desk. He stopped and turned around.

"Y-yes, Boss?"

_Thwack! _

"The next time I call, you'd better answer the phone. I don't want to catch you doing what I saw you doing, again. Are we clear?"

"Crystal clear, Boss."

"Good. Find me that stolen truck!"

"On it." Tim sat down and turned toward his monitor.

Tony observed his friend's appearance. The top button of his shirt was unbuttoned, and if he wasn't mistaken, he was seeing a hickey on Tim's neck. Gibbs got up a second later, and headed up to Vance's office. Tony got up when he was gone, and went to Tim's desk.

"So… you and Abby have definitely made up, then."

"We've been making up for a few weeks now," he said, without missing a beat.

"Wow," Tony said, clearly impressed. "Congratulations, Probie."

"Thanks, I think."

"Ziva got her cast off today," Tony said excitedly.

"That's nice."

"Do you know what this means, Probalicious?" Tony said, rubbing his hands together.

_Thwack!_

"You all are driving me crazy," Gibbs said, annoyed. "Don't make me regret letting you all break Rule 12. Get back to work, and no grab-assin!"

Tony returned to his desk and resumed his work, as did Tim. Gibbs sat down at his desk and observed his team for a moment. He was glad to have some semblance of normality back in the squad room. In fact, he felt as if his team were closer than they'd ever been before.

**END**


End file.
